Unlocking Privacy: The New Zcash Shielded App for Ledger

The Zcash community has long emphasized the importance of privacy and security. Now, with the upcoming release of the Zcash Shielded Application developed by Zondax, using these shielded transactions on Ledger devices is finally becoming a reality. Available now on Ledger, this Shielded App will bring shielded support directly to the Ledger platform, enhancing privacy features and expanding options for Zcash users.

Zcash's privacy features mean that sending funds from a shielded (z-address) to a transparent (t-address) comes with certain complexities. Since a z-address is designed to conceal transaction history, moving funds to a t-address can reveal this history, potentially compromising privacy. This "tainting" issue has been a limitation for Zcash users who want to keep their transactions private while managing their assets across different wallet types.

The Zcash Shielded App for Ledger helps address this by enabling users to move funds securely without exposing transaction history. This app essentially bridges a gap, offering a way to handle shielded funds on Ledger devices without worrying about privacy leaks.

With the Zcash Shielded App, users can now manage shielded funds directly on their Ledger devices, whether reclaiming previously locked shielded funds on transparent addresses that were transferred from shielded accounts on Ledger or making private transfers to other addresses. It provides a straightforward way to keep Zcash transactions private, with support that has previously been unavailable on Ledger.

The Zcash Shielded App is currently not compatible with other wallets. However, we encourage other wallet providers to add support for Ledger devices.

Note: Orchard is not compatible at the moment. 

Here’s what you’ll need if you want to use the Zcash Shielded App:

1. A Ledger Device: The app supports Ledger Nano S Plus, Stax and Flex (excluding Nano S and Nano X).

2. ZecWallet: To manage your Zcash transactions, ZecWallet is required. It’s available on Windows, macOS, and Linux and can be downloaded from GitHub.

3. Access to Ledger: While in Ledger, you’ll find two different apps: The classic Zcash App and the Zcash Shielded App. If you have funds locked from previous transactions, follow this tutorial to unlock your funds. 

Finally, the release of the Zcash Shielded App represents an important step forward in making privacy-focused technology more accessible. For those in the Zcash community, this app provides a straightforward and secure way to manage shielded funds and get their funds locked back.